The climbing is on private land the landowner (not the local climbers) is requesting that climbers do not publish information on the routes at Farley Ledge. The Western Mass Climbers Coalition folks are trying to help assure that the landowner's wishes are respected, and users are requested NOT to post route information on Mountain Project.

Since Farley is all on private land, the owners have the ability to take access away at any time if they feel that overcrowding is happening. And they are sensitive to this overcrowding and watching it.

In order to protect the access that we do have at Farley, we are taking down route information should be taken down in order to respect the landowner's wishes.

The WMCC is working on a longer-term solution for the area, and will make information more readily available so that folks understand the issues and don't feel that access is being restricted simply to keep the area sacred to the locals.

Portions of Farley Ledge are also now closed for peregrines. The Zen Garden and the Four Tiers are open, but in between is closed (Courtroom, Main Slab, Pinnacle, Yellow Wall, K2 area, and the Balcony.

This information is a public crowdsourcing effort between the Access Fund,
and Mountain Project.You should confirm closures, restrictions, and/or related dates.

Description

This is a large, multiple-outcrop, gneiss crag in Erving, MA (nearly to the NH border north of Springfield), close to Route 2 in western Massachusetts. It is somewhat secluded, not especially popular, though the rock and climbing are quality and enjoyable. Routes are trad, bolted, mixed, and top-rope-able. Grades range from 5.4 to 5.14b. Below and all along the crag, there is an extensive boulder field below with many enjoyable and challenging problems, from V0- to V12/V13.

Getting There

The crag is right off Route 2 in Erving. From Route 2, either East or West, look for Holmes Street (heading west, it's on the right, heading east, on the left). Drive up Holmes street to Wells Street, take Wells to the end of the pavement, and turn right onto Cross St. The current Farley parking area is right there, literally in someone's front yard, identified by a large sign (with "Farley Ledge Parking" and various notices attached) and a series of posts stuck into the ground defining the parking area, and with a smaller sign attached to one post reading "8 Car Limit". As the sign reads, there is only room for 8 cars. A log-construction house abutts to the right of the parking area.

Expect a 20+ minute hike from the parking lot. The Farley trailhead is on the other side of the Log house from the parking lot, near a waist-high boulder, and with a square post at the trail head with the letters "M-M" painted on it in white. Follow this trail thru the woods (about 1/5th-1/4 mile) until you come to an obvious intersection at the cascades to the nearby stream, surrounding a large, angular boulder. The M-M trail continues off to the right over a wooden bridge, and the Farley trail continues into the woods ahead, across the dirt road heading left, and identified by a metal sign with the words "Farley Ledge" and a left-pointing arrow cut right into the metal.

Continue to follow this trail into the boulder field, and eventually you will see the crag appearing thru the trees on your right. Various small rockpiles/cairns identify trails heading up to the crag face.

To ensure continued access to Farley, respect for the landowners who have allowed access through their properties is paramount. Please be respectful of their yards and homes when visiting Farley. LNT.

There is a new parking area for Farley. It lies about 0.5 miles west on Highway 2 of the old Wells Street parking lot described above. It's located on the old Lehman property. Turn left (towards the cliff) and drive up into a small gravel parking lot. Park closely to allow room for as many cars as possible.

The land owner's have specifically asked that guides not be published for the area (this includes online). That said if you show up, a local will show you around, me included. Chances are you weren't sand-bagged as what got an online "consensus" grade of 10b is (and has been for 3 decades) a consensus 8, and what got an online grade of 10c/d is a consensus 9. The routes are graded like New England climbs, not Rumney climbs (I know Rumney is in New England, paradox, eh?), i.e. know how to hand jam.

Climbers have had access to Farley for the past 12 (?) years since the Western Mass. Climber's Coalition was created and got involved. The WMCC went so far as to purchase land to construct a public parking area in 2007/2008. While access has been GREATLY improved, we still don't own any of the land where the cliffs are located. The WMCC has a great relationship wth current landowners, but anything can happen. Additional land, including the cliffs, are being pursued but until it's sold, not much will change.

Hi Farley climbers, I went climbing at Farley on Sunday with a group of friends and managed to leave just one shoe (Nago, size 5.5, greenish-blue). If anyone finds (or already found) it please let me know! (power2runners at yahoo) Thanks!

Hi, I was climbing the easy trad line just to the left of where the approach trail hits the main cliff on Sunday (6/1/2014) and found a cam and two quick draws on the route and anchor. Let me know if you forgot your gear and we can figure out a way to get it back to you.

WARNING: I got part way up 6-Foot Man today before noticing a decent-sized hornet nest right below the fourth bolt. If someone has means and inclination to remove it, that would be great; otherwise, I'd stay clear.